Out and About – Week of August 15th

I’m in pretty good health for a person my age. I’m diabetic, I’ve experienced a heart attack, I’ve had shingles, and last September my gall bladder was removed. I try to get plenty of rest, eat healthy meals, well most of the time, and try to exercise as much as I can. I have an occasional beer, but I don’t do recreational drugs. I try to do everything as if my mother were watching my every move. I consider myself fortunate to be able to get around as well as I do.
Here’s what I’m leading up to. There are a lot of folks who aren’t as fortunate as I am when it comes to being in good health. They have trouble getting around on their own. They are unable to work because of being physically or mentally challenged. Our society has tried to make things easier and more accessible for these challenged citizens. Most buildings are now handicap accessible when it comes to entering and leaving the building, and there are usually handicap stalls in public restrooms.
Public parking areas have handicap parking spaces located close to the merchants. Here is where my curiosity has led me. If someone parks in a handicap space and doesn’t have a handicap license plate or sticker, they can be ticketed, yet a person with a handicap license plate or sticker can park wherever they please. I don’t know how many times I’ve passed by an empty handicap parking space, only to find a regular parking space with a vehicle that should have parked in one of the blue zones. It’s just one of those things that makes me think “Hmmm.” Perhaps someone might want to explain this to me.
Congratulations to Jimmy and Elena Meadows on their recent wedding. If you didn’t attend the event, you missed, probably, the largest wedding in Three Rivers history. It was definitely an event for the history books.
I’ll continue commenting on Michigan through the end of this month. School resumes in September, so you still have time to get Out and About and see what “Pure Michigan” is all about. In my mind, Michigan is probably the nicest place to live in the entire United States.
The Detroit Zoo was the first zoo in America to feature cageless, open exhibits that allow the animals more freedom to roam.
Michigan is the only place in the world with a floating post office. The J.W. Westcott II is the only boat in the world that delivers mail to ships while they are still underway. They have been operating for over 125 years.
Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline in the world. It has more shoreline than any other state except Alaska.
Michigan’s state stone, the Petoskey, can be found along the shores of Lake Michigan.
Take time to enjoy the many sights in and around “Pure Michigan”. Do so before the orange traffic cones disappear for another season.
See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman